Typewriting machine



March 19, 1929. J, A B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Jan. 51. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Alia/nay March 19, 1929. J, A, B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan, 51, 1927 Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES] 1,705,946 PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE A. B. SMITH, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD ELLIOTT FISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITIN G MACHINE.

Application filed January 31, 1927. Serial No. 194,673.

vided with independent line-spacing mechanism. 'The carriage may be returned to starting position by either line-space lever. According to the present invention, an inkribbon is stretched across the two platens, in

front thereof, and is wound from a supplyspool into a receiving spool, which is rotated to feed the ribbon to thereby present fresh portions thereof to the printing field. This ribbon is interposed between superposed work-sheets, two or more of which are superposed at each side of the double platen, al-

though in some cases a single platen of double length may be employed. The interposed ribbon or ribbons are mounted on the carriage, while the ordinary vibrating ink-ribbon is mounted on the machine-frame.

This novel ribbon-mechanism is mounted on a displaceable frame carried by the carriage, and is operatively connected by means of a cross-bar to the line-spacing mechanism of both platens. The cross-bar is swung by operation of either line-spacing mechanism, and is provided at the ends thereof with operating pawls which engage ratchet-wheels 5 carried by the ribbon-spools. The ribbon may thus be fed or wound regardless of which one of the two platens is operated, and the feeding direction thereof may be changed at will by means of a ribbon-reversing mechanism. which is efi'ective to simultaneously rehder effective the pawls associated with one of the spools while rendering inefi'ective the pawls associated with the other spool. The means for operating these pawls is-also effective to throw on and off retaining pawls which prevent back-rotation of the ratchetwheels.

This machinery may be used to advantage for combined billing and ledger-posting, in

5b which it is customary to make a record-sheet of both the bills and the ledger-entries. Heretofore much trouble has been experienced in handling a carbon-sheet which had to be assembled with thebill-sheet and the ledger s5 sheet prior to inserting. them in the machine.

By means of this invention the operation is facilitated since the record-sheet is left permanently in the machine and the ribbon takes the place of the carbons. The record-sheet is held in place by means ofpressure-rolls run ning on the platen at the top thereof, and, in order to insert the bill-sheet and the ledgersheet, it is only necessary to release theregu lar feed-rolls under the machine and to positi on the sheets to the printing line. Then the feed-rolls are made operative, andthe same entry may be made on both sheets by presenting etither of the two platensto the printing pom I In order to facilitate the insertion of the record-sheets around the platens, the ribbonframe and the. pressure-rolls are swung together to inoperative. position, thereby clearing the leading edges of the recordsheets, which may then be positioned by rotating the platens. The ribbon is preferably supported at a pointbetween the two platens by means of a bracket carried by the ribbonframe and swingable therewith.

Other features and'advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front View in elevation of an Underwood twin-platen machine having the novel ribbon mechanism applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an end view showing the ribbon-feeding mechanism connected to the linefeeding slide of an Underwood machine.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the ribbon-feeding mechanism in inoperative position.

Figure 4 is a front cross-sectional View showing the left-hand end of the ribbon-operating mechanism.

Figure 5 isa plan view of the platen-frame with the ribbon-spools removed; and shows the independent line-spacing mechanism for each platen.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the ribbon-feeding mechanism in operative position.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the ribbon-frame swung to ineffective position to facilitate the insertion of the recordsheets.

Figure 8 is a perspective View showing the central ribbonsupporting bracket and the pressure-rolls for holding the record-sheets in registration around the'platens.

A pair of platens 10 and 11 are rotatively mounted on shafts 12 and 13, and each is independently operable by means of fingerpieces 14 and 15, and by line-spacing mecha.

nisms operatively connected to ratchetwheels 16 and 17 carried by the shafts 12 and 13. The two shafts are journaled in endplates 18 and 19 which, together with a crossplate 20, form the platen-frame of the machine, which is shiftable on a traveling carriage, not shown.

The line-spacing mechanism is of the wellknown- Underwood standard type, in which either of two slides 21 and 22 may be recip around.

A ribbon 29 is unwound from a supplyspool 30 and is led downwardly and through a slot 31, the ribbon is crossed at right angles and is stretched across the two platens covering the printing line thereof and through a slot 32, is again crossed at right angles and is led upwardly into a receiving spool 33. The spools are mounted on endframes 34and 35 which are fast to a crossshaft 36 rotatably mounted on the end-plates of the platen-frame. The frames 34 and 35 extend forwardly and are bent at 37 to form ears in which the slots 31 and 32 are perforated. The upper ends of the frames are bent to provide outer bearings 38 and 39 for shafts 40 and 41 carrying respectivelfy the supply and receiving spools. Each sha t can ries a ratchet 42 fast thereto and each ratchet is arranged to be engaged by one of two pawls 43 carried by one of two cam-plates 44 with which the pawls are operatively connected by means of pins 45. The cam-plates are secured to a cross-tube 46 'ournaled in the endframes 34 and 35, an are both provided with downwardly-extending fingers 47 designed to engage pins 48 carried by the slides 21 and 22. Figure 2 shows the inoperative position on the slide 21, in which position the cam-plate is held in the position shown by means of a spring 49 which is stretched between a spring-stud 50 and a pin 51 carried by the cam-plate. The latter is arrested by a pin 52 carried by the end-frames. The pawl 43 is held in engagement with the ratchet 42 by a spring 53, and each time either of the two' operating slides is moved rearwardly by actuation of its corresponding linespace lever, the pin 48 associated therewith engages the finger 47, thereby rocking the tube 46 and elevating the pawl 43, which beribbon is prevented from unwinding by a retaining pawl 54, which is pivotally mounted on a stud .55, and is held in engagement with the rod by means of a spring 56 stretched between the stud 50 and a pin 57, the latter being fast to an extension 58 of the pawl 54:

The operative position of the slide and other mechanism associated therewith is shown in Figure 6. a

In order that either of the two spools may be used as a receiving spool for the ribbon so that the same may be fed in either direction, there is provided a manual ribbon-controlling mechanism which automatically reverses the feed of the operating and retaining pawls so that the pawls at one end may be rendere effective while the pawls at the other end are rendered ineffective. This mechanism may include a pair ofcam-plates 59 and 60, which are fast at either end of a cross-shaft 61 protruding at the ends of the tube 46. These cam-plates are provided with finger-pieces 62 and 63, and are so contoured that when any one of the finger-pieces is pressed downwardly the pawls operatin hn the left-hand ribbon-spool are rendere inoperative as shown in Figure 3, while the pawls actuating on the right-hand spool are thrown into engagement with the ratchet as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. When the shaft 61 is swung to move the finger-pieces upwardly the effectiveness of the pawls is reversed, so that the left-hand spool will'be made operative while the right-hand spool is made inoperative. The cam plats' are provided with retaining notches 64 and 65 which enga e the pins 57 carried by the pawls 54. By re erring to Figure 3 it will be noticed that upon swlnging the pawl 54 to an inoperative position the back thereof will strike the pawl 43, thereby swinging it also to inoperative position.

The spools 30 and 33 are mounted on the shaft 40, and may be taken out to replace the ribbon when desiredby unscrewin fingerpieces 67 on the inner ends of the sha ts which normally hold the spools in engagement with pins 68 carried by a flange 69 forming an in: tegral part of the shafts. Each pin 68 enters a hole 1n thehub of its associated spool, there by driving the same with the shaft. In order that the supply-spool may be prevented from unwinding ahead of the recelving-spool, the shafts 40 and 41 are provided with retaining springs 70 which serve as a brake for the spool from which the ribbon is unwound.

The insertion of the record-sheets 76 around the platens is facilitated by swinging the ribbon-frame on the shafts 36 to a position-such as is indicated in Figure 7. The frame is swung by operating finger-pieces 71, which may form an integral part. of the frames 34 and 35, held in either operative or inoperative position by means of aretaining pawl 72. The latter is pivotally mounted on a stud 7 3 carried by the end-plate 18 and 1s held in engagement with either of two notches 74in the frame 34 by a spring 75. Only one of these retaining pawls is r uired, since both plates 18 and 19 are mounte on'the shaft 36. thereby forming a rigid structure.

The record-sheets 76 are held in place around the platens by-pressure-rolls 77-carried by spring-leaves 78, which are bent to conformwith the periphery of the-platens and are in turn carried by rigid supporting frames 79 which are secured to the shaft 36 by means of screws 80.' The desired pressure on the record-sheets is obtained by swinging the frames 79 around the shaft 36 prior to tightening the screws 80. When the ribboncarrying frame is swung to inoperative position the feed-rolls are automatically released or swung upwardly, as shown in Figure 7,

. thus further facilitating the insertion of the record-sheets around the platens.

' The ribbon is supported at a point between the two platens by a bracket 81 carried by the shaft 36 to which it is secured by means of a pin 82. The bracket 81 is bent to clear the platens, and extends forwardly and downwardly from the shaft 36, being provided'at the end thereof with openings 83, through which the ribbon is threaded to prevent the same from sagging and interfering with the proper line-feeding of the work-sheets.

, The original statement and bill sheets indicated by the numeral 84: are preferably front inserted by releasing feed-rolls 85, and with the aid of a front inserting device, not shown, but well known in the art, the sheets are typed by means of the regular type-bars 86 and the usual vibrating ribbon 87, which is carried by a vibrating frame 88 slidably mounted on a type-guide 89.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I v

1. In a typewriting machine, having a twin-platen and a line-spacingmechanism for each platen mounted in atraveling carriage, a ribbon in front of both platens covering the printing line thereof, and means for I feeding said ribbon upon operation of either line-spacing mechanism.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a pair of platens journaled in a-traveling carriage, a line-spacing mechanism for each platen, a ribbon covering the printing line of both platens, and means controlled by either of the line-spacing mechanisms for selectively feeding the ribbon in either direction upon operation of either line-spacing mechanism. 7

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a pair of platens rotatively mounted side by side, a carriage for said platens, a ribbon-frame for holding a ribbon in front of said platens at the printing line, pressurerolls carried by said ribbon-frame for holding record-sheets around the latens, means for concomitantly swinging the ribbon and the pressure-rolls to inoperative position to facilitate insertion of the record-sheets, and a bracket for supporting the ribbon at a point between the two platens, said bracket being carried by the ribbon-frameand swinging therewith to an effective osition.

r 4. In a typewriting mac ine having a twinplaten journaled in a traveling carriage and a line-spacing mechanism for each platen, a ribbon in front, of both platens and in close proximity thereto, and means for feeding the ribbon during line-spacing movement of either platen, said means being effective to feed the ribbon in the same direction upon operation of either platen.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of'a pair of platens journaled in a traveling carnage and each having independently operated line-spacing mechanisms, a ribbon covering the printing line of both platens, a

pair of spools for said ribbon, and means for feeding the-ribbon from one spool to the other upon operation of eitherline-spacing mechanlsm.

6. In a typewriting machine, having a twin-platen and a line-spacing mechanism for each platen, each of said line-spacing mecha- ,in either direction, said last two mentioned means includmg a cross-shaft rockable upon operation of either line-spacing slide, a pair of feeding pawls carried by said cross-shaft, a ratchet for each ribbon-spool, each ratchet being engageable by its associated pawl, a retaining pawl for each ratchet to prevent back rotation thereof, mechanism for engaging the operating and retaining pawls associated with one of the ratchets while concomitantly disengaging the pawls associated with the other ratchet.

7. In a .typewriting machine. having a twin-platen, a ribbon stretched in front of both platens and in close proximity thereto, means for feeding the ribbon in either direction, means for moving the ribbon, away from the platens to permit insertion of work-sheets between the ribbon and the platens, and means for supporting the ribbon at a point between the two platens to prevent sagging thereof.

8. In a ribbon-feeding mechanism for a and manually-operable to thereby feed the ribbon in a predetermined direction regardless of which line-spacing mechanism is operated,

\ 9.'In a. ribbon-feeding mechanism for atypewriting machine having a pair of sideby-side platens and a line-spacing mechanism for each platen, a pair of ribbon-spools overlying said platens, means for guiding a ribbon along the printing line of the platens, said ribbon being unwound from one of the spools and wound into the other spool, and means for selectively rotating at will either spool upon operation of either line-spacing mechanism, to thereby feed the ribbon in a predetermined direction regardless of which line-spacing mechanism is operated, said lastmentioned means including a ratchet-wheel rotatable with each ribbon-spool, a driving pawl for each ratchet-wheel, means for selectively connecting either pawl with its associated ratchet-wheel, means for operatively connecting the driving pawls with both linespacing mechanisms, whereby either pawl may be reciprocated upon operation of either line-spacing mechanism, and a pair of retaining pawls, one retaining pawl associated with each ratchet-wheel, for selectively preventing back-rotation of either ratchetwheel. I

10. In a typewriting machine having a twin-platen journaled-in a traveling carriage and independent line-spacing mechanism for each platemmeans for conducting a ribbon along the printing line of both platens, and means associated with both line-spacing mechanisms for feeding the ribbon in a selectively predetermined direction upon operation of either line-spaeing mechanism.

11. In a typewriting machine having a twin-platen and independent line-spacing mechanism for each platen, means for conducting a ribbon along the printing line of both platens, and means associated with both line-spacing mechanisms for feeding the ribbon in a selectively predetermined direction upon operation of either line-spacing mechanism, said last-mentioned means including a pair of ribbon-spools overlying the platens, means for conducting the ribbon from one spool, along the printing line, onto the other spool. and means including a shaft overlying the platens and having driving connections with-both line-spacing mechanisms for operatively connecting either line-spacing mechanism with either ribbon-spool.

13. In a typewriting machine having a I twin-platen and independent line-spacing mechanism for each platen, means for conducting a ribbon along the printing line of both platens, a pair of ribbon-spools rotatably mounted to feed the ribbon from one to the other, and means associated with each of said line-spacing mechanism and actuated upon operation of either mechanism for positively rotating either one of said spools selectively to wind the ribbon thereon.

' 14;. In a typewriting machine having a twin-platen and independent line-spacing mechanism for each platen, means for conducting a ribbon along the printing line of both platens, a pair of ribbon-spools rotatably mounted to feed the ribbon from one to the other, a shaft, a driving connection between each of said line-space mechanisms and said shaft, whereby operation of either of said mechanisms will cause actuation of the shaft, and spool-driving 'mechanism operated by said shaft and connectible to either of said spools to positively rotate the same to Wind the ribbon thereon.

15. In a typewriting machine having a twin-platen and independent line spacing mechanism for each platen, means for conducting a ribbon along the printing line of both platens, a pair of ribbon-spools rotatably mounted to feed the ribbon from one to the other, a shaft, a driving connection between each of said line-space mechanisms and said shaft, whereby operation of either of said mechanisms will cause actuation of the shaft, spool-driving mechanism associated with each spool and operated by said shaft, and means for simultaneously rendering one of said spool-driving mechanisms operative and s the other inoperative, selectively, to determine the direction of travel of said ribbon.

16. In a typewriting machine having a traveling carriage, the combination with a pair of platens j ournaled in said carriage, and line-spacing mechanism for each platen, of a pair of ribbon-spools having a ribbon running from one to the other, means for guiding said ribbon in front of the printing line, driving means for said spools actuated upon operation of either of said line-spacing mechanisms, and means for connecting either spool to said driving means to wind the ribbon thereon.

17. In a typewriting machine havin a traveling carriage, a twin-platen journzi led for driving either spool to wind the ribbon thereon upon operation of either line-spacing mechanism, including a, one-way driven mechanism independently connectible to both line-spacing mechanisms to be driven thereby, and disengageable connections between said driven mechanism and said ribbonspools, and a frame for supporting said spools and ribbon-guides and all the spool-driving means, whereby the same may be assembled and installed as a unit upon a typewriting machine.

18. In a typewriting machine having a traveling carriage, a twin-platen journaled therein and independent line-spacing mechanisms for the platen-sections, the combina tion of a pair of spools, means for guiding a ribbon from spool to spool and in a horizontal stretch in front of the printing line, means for driving either spool to wind the ribbon thereon upon the operation of either linespacing mechanism, means including a oneway driven mechanism independently connectible to both line-spacing mechanisms to be driven thereby, and disengageable connections between said driven mechanism and said ribbon-spools, and a frame for supporting said spools and ribbon-guides and all the spool-driving means, whereby the same may be assembled and installed as a unit upon a typewriting machine, said frame bein pivotally mounted upon said carriage to enable it to be swung to remove said horizontal stretch of the ribbon from the printing line.

19. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a pair of platens rotatively mounted side by side, a carriage for said platens, a ribbon-frame for holding a ribbon in front of said platens at the printing line, means for swingin the ribbon to inoperative to facilitate the insertion of recor -sheets, and a bracket for supporting the ribbon at a point between the two platens, said bracket being carried by the ribbon-frame and swinging therewith.

In a typewriting machine havin a traveling carriage, the combination wit a twin-platen journaled in said carriage and independent line-spacing mechanisms for said platens, of an auxiliary ribbon, means for guiding said ribbon to and across the printing line of both platens, and means for feeding said ribbon in either direction at will, said feeding means including a pair of rotatable spools upon which said ribbon is wound, ratchet-wheels fast upon the spool-shafts, pawls cooperating with said wheels to drive the same, each pawl having an extension projecting into the path of a moving element of one of said line-spacing mechanisms to be actuated thereby to impart oscillatory motion to its associated pawl, a connection between said pawls to transmit motion from one pawl to the other, means for effecting operative engagement of said pawls with said ratchetwheels, and means for selectively disengaging one of said pawls from its ratchet-wheel to determine the direction of feed of said ribbon.

' JESSE A. B. SMITH.

osition 

